PVG Shanghai

I will be arriving for my first visit to China next month.
Is anybody able to offer any tips, specifically:

1. How smooth is immigration, if you have your Visa and paperwork in good order? Is there a fasttrack?
2. How best do you get into the city, I hear that traffic is slow an a friend of mine mentions that the super fast rail link is efficient and an experience;

I will be arriving for my first visit to China next month.
Is anybody able to offer any tips, specifically:

1. How smooth is immigration, if you have your Visa and paperwork in good order? Is there a fasttrack?
2. How best do you get into the city, I hear that traffic is slow an a friend of mine mentions that the super fast rail link is efficient and an experience;

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I go to Shanghai so often that PVG is practically my second home...

1. Immigration: with all the papers in order, you should have no trouble at all, although I do not think that there is a fasttrack for visitors. However, the system is quite efficient and it should not take you too long to get in and just follow signs for the MagLev to get to the city...

2. Getting to the city: depending on when your flight arrives the traffic could be horrendous. Fortunately, you have the "super fast rail link" that you mentioned called the MagLev that is so fast it will get you into the city in just 8 min, where it would it take a cab 45-60 min, and it is cheaper too (not that cabs are that expensive in PRC). Take the MagLev to the city (last and only stop) where there will be a row of cabs waiting to take you to your hotel.

Note that the maglev stops running fairly early in the evening so that if your TPAC flight is delayed, you might miss the last one. Taxis are cheap for the distance, but traffic can be horrible. Hotel car service is expensive.

AFAIK there's no fast track service, but I don't remember ever having a long line.

IIRC there's a new subway line to the airport. if you don't have a lot of luggage or need to change lines, this could work well for you.

The subway is extremely easy to navigate and costs depends on distance. Starts at 3 RMB and maxes out out either 7 or 8 RMB. Do not change money at the airport, use a ATM. Credit cards will give best rate, AMEX being the best. Bank of China and Bank of Shanghai both have really good rates too, but the wait can be long.

The subway is extremely easy to navigate and costs depends on distance. Starts at 3 RMB and maxes out out either 7 or 8 RMB. Do not change money at the airport, use a ATM. Credit cards will give best rate, AMEX being the best. Bank of China and Bank of Shanghai both have really good rates too, but the wait can be long.

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I always like to receive helpful comments with rates. I wonder if Shanghai has FX booths which operate solely for changing cash.
Agreed, it is rare to identify 'value' at any airport, possibly anywhere in the world.

I always like to receive helpful comments with rates. I wonder if Shanghai has FX booths which operate solely for changing cash.
Agreed, it is rare to identify 'value' at any airport, possibly anywhere in the world.

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ATM is my thing...exchange rates at ATMs are those published daily in the Wall Street Journal + FX fee. Short of that, you'll need to use a CC that waives the FX fee like most HSBC (Hong Kong-Shanghai Banking Corporation**) cards or the AMEX Biz Platinum (a recent benefit).

ATM is my thing...exchange rates at ATMs are those published daily in the Wall Street Journal + FX fee. Short of that, you'll need to use a CC that waives the FX fee like most HSBC (Kong Kong-Shanghai Baking Corporation) cards or the AMEX Biz Platinum (a recent benefit).

I always like to receive helpful comments with rates. I wonder if Shanghai has FX booths which operate solely for changing cash.
Agreed, it is rare to identify 'value' at any airport, possibly anywhere in the world.

Click to expand...

There are FX booths, but the rates are very poor compared to taking cash from an ATM, which is true worldwide.

The subway is really easy to navigate...but the Maglev is something you should experience. One way to do this is to take the maglev to Longyang Road and cross the street to the Metro stop for Line 2 or 7. Do you know where you are staying?

The subway is really easy to navigate...but the Maglev is something you should experience. One way to do this is to take the maglev to Longyang Road and cross the street to the Metro stop for Line 2 or 7. Do you know where you are staying?

I will be arriving for my first visit to China next month.
Is anybody able to offer any tips, specifically:

1. How smooth is immigration, if you have your Visa and paperwork in good order? Is there a fasttrack?
2. How best do you get into the city, I hear that traffic is slow an a friend of mine mentions that the super fast rail link is efficient and an experience;

Click to expand...

Maglev is definitely the way to go. Some other things to keep in mind: Beware of the scams like the "tea scam." Don't go to any restaurants or tea houses with strangers and you'll be ok. Check out the XinTianDi area. It's a trendy spot with lots of cool restaurants, shops, etc., and lots of expats hang out there. Also if you wind up taking the subway, you've probably never seen anything like it. The crowds, pushing, shoving, and apparent chaos that's typical of the Shanghai subway experience. It's super packed, especially during rush hour, and just when you think there's not even enough room for a child to squeeze on, 10 more people push their way into the car, lol. It's definitely something to be experienced. Don't be afraid to push your way on as well, otherwise you might be waiting on the platform for a long time.

If I am staying overnight in the city due to connection, would I need a Visa?

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As a US citizen, I think there is a 24 hour window (it may be longer) for connections. I stayed in Shanghai over night and then headed to the airport the next morning and I did not need a visa. Be sure to print out some proof of your connecting flight, as they will pull you to the side and make you wait while they verify that you are scheduled to leave on that connecting flight.

The Maglev travels to Longyang Road station in Pudong; it's not a short hop, but around a 20-25 minute cab ride (say around 50-60 CNY), or a 25 minute ride directly on Line 2 (don't do that with luggage in rush hour!). It will stick knock around 80CNY off a direct taxi ride, though... and is really fun

As a US citizen, I think there is a 24 hour window (it may be longer) for connections. I stayed in Shanghai over night and then headed to the airport the next morning and I did not need a visa. Be sure to print out some proof of your connecting flight, as they will pull you to the side and make you wait while they verify that you are scheduled to leave on that connecting flight.

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I believe there is now a 72 hour visa-free transit window in Shanghai.

If you can speak some Chinese there are also buses that will take you into the city, dropping off in a few locations like Jing An temple for approx. 25RMB. Taxis will cost approx. 130RMB during the day, and 160-180RMB later at night to Puxi.

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